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Formulation and Evaluation of Avocado Oil Nanoemulsion Hydrogels Using

Sucrose Ester Laureate

Article in Advanced Materials Research · September 2013

DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.812.246

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Advanced Materials Research Vol. 812 (2013) pp 246-249
Online available since 2013/Sep/10 at www.scientific.net
© (2013) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland
doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.812.246

Formulation and Evaluation Of Avocado Oil Nanoemulsion Hydrogels

Using Sucrose Ester Laureate

MOHAMED SALAMA Mohamed1,a and AHMAD MUSTAFA Masoud Eid1,b

1
Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA,
42300 Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
a
email: salama47@yahoo.com, b email: dr_ahmad98@hotmail.com

Keywords: Avocado Oil, Nanoemulsion, Sucrose Ester, Hydrogel, Carbopol.

Abstract.Nanoemulsion is a new class of emulsion with uniform and extremely small droplet sizes,
typically in the range of 20-200 nm. Avocado oil was proven to be used as anti-aging and
moisturizing agent. This study aimed to characterize nanoemulsion hydrogels prepared using
avocado oil and sucrose ester laureate as surfactant. The nanoemulsion hydrogels were prepared by
nanophase emulsification technique. These formulations were examined using zetasizer to
determine the mean diameter of dispersed oil droplets, polydispersibility index (PDI) and zeta
potential.The viscosity of the prepared nanoemulsion hydrogel was also studied. The results
revealed that nanoemulsions prepared with 50% w/w oil, 30% w/w glycerol and 20% w/w
surfactant showed droplets size below 200 nm with good polydispersibility index and zeta potential
< -30 mV. The optimum formulation of nanoemulsion was prepared in the form of nanoemulsion
hydrogel using carbopols 934 and 940. The results of the rheology for the nanoemulsion hydrogel
showed that the storage modulus (G’) which describes the elasticity of the component were greater
than the loss modulus (G”) values that reveals the viscosity of the component.

Introduction. Nanoemulsions are subtype of emulsions having droplets size between 20-200 nm
[1]. However some researchers mentioned that the size may be up to 500 nm [2]. They can be used
in various fields of pharmacy such as transdermal, ocular, nasal and parenteral drug delivery
systems [3,4]. Recently, nanoemulsion hydrogel has been highlighted as one of the most promising
drug delivery system by reason of their unique ability in combining hydrogel system with
nanoemulsion [5]. Hydrogels are polymeric networks with three dimensional structure which have
the ability to absorb a great amount of water or biological fluids [6]. Avocado oil has been used as
an antioxidant due to the high amount of oleic monosaturated fatty acids in the oil [7]. It also
promotes the accumulation of HLD cholesterol that gives health benefits to the cardio vascular
system [8]. In addition to that, it is useful as anti-inflammatory agent [9] and in cancer prevention
[10]. This study aimed to prepare nanoemulsion hydrogel containing avocado oil for topical
application on the skin.

Materials and Methods. Avocado oil (Sigma-Aldich, South Africa), Sucrose Laureate, glycerol
and Carbopol 940, 934 were used in the formulation of nanoemulsion hydrogel by nanophase gel
emulsification technique. Avocado oil, Sucrose Laureate and glycerol were used to prepare the
nanoemulsion by constructing ternary phase diagram. The glycerol was heated initially to 75°C.
Then surfactant was added to the hot glycerol until complete dissolution. The oil was added to the
surfactant mixture at the same temperature and mixed until the mixture cooled down to the room
temperature. The nanoemulsion formulations were tested for their droplets size, polydisperspility
index (PDI) and zeta potential using zetasizer. Then the optimum formulation of nanoemulsion
obtained from the ternary phase diagram shown in Fig. 1 was converted to hydrogels using two
different types of Carbopol 934 and 940. The nanoemulsion hydrogels were prepared by mixing
different amounts of the optimum nanoemulsion formulations having different concentrations of
Avocado oil (10, 20 and 30% w/w) with 0.5% w/w Carbopol and water. The rheological
characteristics were performed for nanoemulsion hydrogels.

All rights reserved. No part of contents of this paper may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of TTP,
www.ttp.net. (ID: 58.26.181.165, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Shah Alam, Malaysia-03/10/13,03:56:50)
 Advanced Materials Research Vol. 812 247

Results and Discussion. Fig. 1 shows ternary phase diagrams for three different combinations of
oil, surfactant and glycerin. Ternary phase diagrams were constructed to find the optimum
composition of oil, surfactant and glycerin that can produce nanophase gel. It can be seen from the
ternary phase diagrams, different areas that correspond to different emulsions, such as transparent
nanoemulsion (NE), microemulsion (ME), and coarse emulsion (CE).

The ternary phase diagram constructed and presented in fig 1, was used to aid in finding the
concentration range of nano-emulsions components [4]. Sucrose laurate has good emulsification
property, which may be due to its excellent miscibility between components in the system. Szuts
and Szabo-Revesz; Leong et al., found that nanoemulsion that used high HLB value like sucrose
laurate as surfactant has better emulsification properties.

Fig 1. Ternary Phase Diagram For Nanoemulsion Containing Avocado Oil, Sucrose Laureate and
Glycerin.

Table 1. Droplet size PDI and Zeta potential for the nanoemulsion.

F: Stear: Gly: Oil Droplet PDI ZP [mV]

(%) (%) (%) Size

(nm)

A 20 30 50 103 ±1.5 0.120 -31.8

±0.008 ±0.6
B 16 24 60 139 ±0.6 0.056 -25.2
±0.011 ±1.0
C 48 32 20 139 ±0.6 0.086 -26.8
±0.013 ±0.9

Formulation A from table 1, which consists of 20% w/w Sucrose Laureate 30% w/w glycerol and
50% w/w oil has low amount of surfactant, showed small droplets size 103 ± 1.5 nm with PDI
0.120 ± 0.008 and zeta potential -31.8 ± 0.6 mV. Therefore, it was selected as an optimum
formulation to be used in the preparation of the hydrogel because of its lowest droplet size and high
stability indicated by zeta potential [13]. As shown in table 2, the oil droplets size for nanoemulsion
hydrogel were in the range of 113 ± 2.4 to 118 ± 4.6 nm, while the PDI from 0.095 ± 0.013 to 0.157
± 0.044 and zeta potential from -33.5 ± 0.8 to -39.0 ± 0.5 mV.
248 Progress in Polymer and Rubber Technology

Table 2: Droplet size PDI and Zeta potential for the nanoemulsion hydrogel (formulation 1, 2 and 3
for Carbopol 934 while 4, 5 and 6 for Carbopol 940).

Droplet Size (nm) PdI ZP [mV]

F: Carbopol (%) Oil (%) Water (Q.S.)

1 0.5 10 Q.S. 114 ±8.7 0.154 ±0.030 -33.5 ±0.8
2 0.5 20 Q.S. 111 ±1.9 0.118 ±0.011 -39.0 ±0.5
3 0.5 30 Q.S. 114 ±5.8 0.109 ±0.025 -35.5 ±1.4
4 0.5 10 Q.S. 118 ±4.6 0.150 ±0.032 -35.1 ±0.6

5 0.5 20 Q.S. 113 ±2.4 0.095 ±0.013 -34.0 ±1.1

6 0.5 30 Q.S. 117 ±2.2 0.157 ±0.044 -33.5 ±0.2

Table 3: Storage Modulus (G’) and Loss Modulus (G”) for nanoemulsion hydrogel.

Formulation Loss /Storage Modulus (Pa)

Angular Frequency (1/s)
Share Rate 0.1 1 10 100
G’ 882 928 980 963
1
G” 64.4 35 48.1 96.1
G’ 1180 1280 1340 1340
2
G” 155 46.5 57.2 110
G’ 1680 1840 1940 1990
3
G” 164 70.6 83.5 150
G’ 132 162 193 144
4
G” 22 17.4 33.3 74.5
G’ 182 231 270 246
5
G” 33 21.6 39.1 79.3
G’ 557 661 735 762
6
G” 83.5 45.1 70.2 14.3

From the results in table 3 it is evident that the values of storage modulus (G’) are higher than those
of the loss modulus (G”), which indicates that the formulations are more elastic. In addition
increasing the concentration of the oil leads to a relevant increase in the elasticity. Also Carbopol
940 showed an increase in the elasticity compared with those containing Carbopol 934. The
application of nanoemulsion hydrogels on the skin is favored by the elasticity of the dosage form
[14].

Conclusion

Nanoemulsion containing Avocado oil was prepared using sucrose Laureate and glycerin by simple
mixing. The optimum nanoemulsion formulation consisted of oil 50% w/w, 20% w/w Laureate and
30% w/w glycerol. After achieving nanoemulsion, it was mixed with Carbopol and water to
produce nanoemulsion hydrogel. It was found that the elasticity of the nanoemulsion hydrogel was
increased with increase in the oil concentration and the inclusion of Carbopol 940.

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 Advanced Materials Research Vol. 812 249

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 Progress in Polymer and Rubber Technology
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Formulation and Evaluation of Avocado Oil Nanoemulsion Hydrogels Using Sucrose Ester Laureate
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